Apple begins offering half-price $4.99 Apple Music subscriptions for students

Starting today, students enrolled in an eligible college or university will today be able to subscribe to Apple Music at a discounted price, as Apple is offering half off the standard subscription rate for its streaming music service.

The new student pricing began rolling out on Friday in Australia, and is expected to arrive in other markets, including the U.S., according toTechCrunch. In America, where a single standard monthly subscription to Apple Music costs $9.99, students will be able to pay $4.99 for the same level of service.

Eligible participants must be able to prove that they are a student at a qualified school, and the reduced price is available for up to four years following enrollment. The years do not need to be continuous, so students who take a break from school can regain their eligibility once they return to finish classes.

In addition to the U.S., half-price Apple Music subscriptions are also confirmed to be available in the U.K., Germany, Denmark, Ireland, and New Zealand. In each market, the pricing will be 50 percent off the standard local pricing.

Apple is working with UNiDAYS to verify that students who sign up are actually enrolled in classes.

Apple is expected to revamp Apple Music this year, and unveil the upcoming changes at the annual Worldwide Developers Conference in June. Among the changes said to be in the works are a shakeup to the product's user interface, aiming to make it easier to use.

Apple also reportedly plans to expand the Beats 1 radio service, and could potentially add new, live streaming stations to the lineup. And the company is also said to be planning a marketing blitz that will promote the new changes after they are unveiled at WWDC, which is set to kick off on June 13.